Of those who have given a name to their car, two in five chose a female name and 30 per cent thought their car suited a more masculine moniker.

Seventeen per cent chose a nonsense word or phrase which couldn’t be considered male or female.

James Buttrick from Vantage Leasing, which commissioned the study, said: “There has always been an unspoken bond between boys and their toys, and a man’s car is often considered a reflection of their own personality.

“It’s unsurprising to see the strength of this fondness for our vehicles coming through in the results – though we’re not sure we’d like to take a ride in something called ‘The Purple People-Eater’.”

The study also found the nation’s men love their cars.

One in five in relationships confess to enjoying the time they spend with and in their car more than the time they spend with their other half.

And 12 per cent suspect their partner is jealous of all the attention they lavish on their ride, when their gaze should be on them instead.

One in seven male drivers have used washing the car or taking a drive as an excuse to escape spending time with their family or loved ones.

And 37 per cent have had a conversation with their car when no one else was around, the OnePoll survey revealed.

When it comes to shopping for a new car, 22 per cent of men confess to buying the vehicle they think has the most compatible personality with their own.

And almost a third think their car has a specific type of personality which drew them to make the purchase.

Of these, 22 per cent would describe their car’s personality as ‘playful’ and 28 per cent would call it ‘confident’.

One in ten would even go as far to say their car has a ‘sexy’ personality.

Taking things one step further, an odd 13 per cent have tried to imagine what their car would look like if it were to take human form.

After years spent forming this special bond, over a third of male motorists dread the day when it comes to say goodbye to their car as it heads for the heap.

James Buttrick added: “While we wouldn’t like to encourage men to spend more time with their car than their other half, it’s understandable that driving or working on a vehicle can provide some therapeutic time away from the stresses of life.

“It is also sweet to uncover the extent to which we form a bond with the machines which take us from A to B, and we are very familiar with the excitement that comes with picking up a new ride – and the pain of parting with the old one.”